2009 Nissan Rogue SL Review

2009 Nissan Rogue

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD
WITH CAREY RUSS

2009 Nissan Rogue SL FWD

When SUV demand went from rugged outdoors fantasy to
comfortable suburban reality, macho truck to family crossover, Nissan
scored big with its midsize Murano. Named after a type of Italian glass and
with its "Adventures in on-roading" introductory tag line, the Murano was
the antithesis of the rugged off-road SUV of yore, and was an instant
success. It was positioned above some similarly-sized crossover
competitors, and offered only with a V6 engine. Which begged the question
of a similar but simpler and smaller equivalent. Which was answered with
the model year 2008 debut of the Rogue.

Smaller than the Murano but still comfortably and usefully
large enough, the Rogue proved popular with its intended
urban/suburban-oriented market. Nissan got the formula right the first
time, and so the Rogue enters its second year with only a few interior
enhancements. As before, it's a front- or all-wheel drive vehicle based on
the "C" platform that underlies the Sentra sedan, with power from a
2.5-liter, 170-horsepower four-cylinder engine matched to a CVT
transmission. It's meant to be, and is, at home in the real world of
aggressive traffic, tight parking, and indifferently-paved roads. For a
more elemental experience in the same general size, but further out in the
elements, Nissan has the Xterra.

The two Rogue trim levels, the S, with all of the
necessities, and fancier SL, return this year. The SL has additional
standard convenience features, including speed-sensing automatic door
locks, a fold-flat (forward) front passenger seat, dual-level console tray,
a trip computer with outside temperature display, illuminated vanity
mirrors, cargo hooks, and mood lighting. The front-wheel drive SL can now
be specified with the Leather Package, and the FWD SL Premium Package also
includes Bluetooth® hands-free phone connectivity and the "Intelligent
Key"(tm) keyless fob.

No opulent luxury, but that wasn't intended so no complaint.
The Rogue is an honest, comfortable vehicle with a fine combination of
space, style, power, and efficiency. I've just finished a week with a new
FWD SL with the upgraded Premium Package and an add-on Garmin navigation
system, and was suitably impressed. The fold-down front passenger seats is
a small but welcome addition, allowing easy transportation of long pieces
of lumber, light-duty ladders, surf rods, and/or other long, unwieldy
items. Additional versatility is always good. Add that to the already good
performance and handling, comfortable interior and right size that makes
for both real space and easy parking, and the Nissan Rogue is a worthy
consideration in the large compact/small midsize crossover class.

APPEARANCE: Look! It's young Murano! Like a young animal, its
proportions are slightly different, a little shorter and chunkier, but
there is little doubt that the Rogue is a close relative to a Murano. The
curvaceous shape is familiar, especially at the sides around the C- and
D-pillars where the bottom of the window line kicks up. Rear windows are
nearly identical, and if the Rogue's taillights presaged those of the 2009
Murano. In front, the grille is similar if not identical, and ditto for the
hood and fender shapes. As with the Murano, there is nothing about the
Rogue's exterior that says "macho rugged offroad". Rather, it is a
sophisticated real-world vehicle.

COMFORT: Inside, the Rogue is sporty in the vein of current
Oriental sport-compacts like its cousin the Sentra SE-R. Two-tone cloth is
the standard upholstery, and the dark, textured plastics of the dash and
upper door panels are offset by matte-finished silver plastic trim on the
door handles, around the instruments, vents, shifter, and cupholders, and
on the steering wheel hub. The textured nylon seat cloth helps grip your
body, and also has air spaces for insulating comfort. The front seats offer
good comfort and support, with manual adjustment, including driver's seat
cushion height. The steering wheel is adjustable for tilt, and has a
comfortably-thick, ergonomically-molded rubberized rim. Cruise, and
optionally with the Premium Package, auxiliary audio controls are mounted
in the hub. Instruments are easy to see, and the climate and audio system
controls in the center stack are simple to use. Orange backlighting at
night provides low-glare visibility. A four-speaker, AM/FM/CD/auxiliary
input audio system is standard fare in all models. The seven-speaker Bose
audio system in my test car, part of the Premium Package, is a worthwhile
upgrade, adding a six-disc in-dash CD changer with MP3 and WMA CD
capability and RDS information.
There are numerous storage spaces in the cabin, highlighted by a huge
glovebox with built-in organizer dividers. The rear seat has plenty of leg
and head room, even for a central passenger, but the Rogue's width is a
touch narrow for long-term three-passenger duty if all are adults. The rear
seat folds 60/40 in all models, and (again) as part of the SL Premium
Package, the front passenger seat can be folded flat so long cargo items
can be carried. The tailgate is light in weight and counterbalanced for
easy use, and the load floor height is not excessive. A cargo organizer,
useful for relatively light items like grocery bags, lives at the rear of
the cargo area. Yes, another part of that useful Premium Package....

SAFETY: The Rogue's unibody structure is built with a strong
safety cage around the passenger compartment and front and rear crumple
zones. Dual-stage front, seat -mounted front side, and full-length side
curtain airbags, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and engine immobilizer
are all standard passive safety features. For active safety, all Rogues
have four-wheel antilock disc brakes with electronic brake force
distribution (EBD) and vehicle dynamic control (VDC) with traction control
(TCS).

RIDE AND HANDLING: Nissan's "C" platform provides a strong,
rigid base for the Rogue's fully-independent strut front, multilink rear
suspension. The suspension tuning is moderate, with an emphasis on comfort,
but the car's relatively light weight and low center of gravity, allied
with its electric power steering system, give it good handling
characteristics. It is especially comfortable on rough highway pavement,
and low interior noise levels add to the pleasant driving experience. It's
not meant for serious 4x4 driving, but 8.3 inches of clearance should work
without major problems on improved forest roads, and also helps in dealing
with curbs, potholes, and other similar hazards of city life.

PERFORMANCE: The 2.5-liter aluminum alloy, twincam,
16-valve inline four-cylinder engine under the Rogue's hood provides plenty
of power for its mission in life. Vital statistics: 170 horsepower (167
with California-state emissions tuning) at 6000 rpm and 175 (170) lb-ft of
torque at 4400 rpm. As in the Murano, the secret to the Rogue's performance
and economy is its continuously-variable transmission (CVT). Integrated
computer controls keep the engine and transmission in their most efficient
ranges as much as possible. Overall fuel economy in the low- to mid-20s is
one reward. Another is smooth, quiet operation, as the CVT never shifts
between discrete gears. I never felt the need for more power during my time
with the Rogue, and averaged about 23 mpg in mostly city and secondary road
driving.

CONCLUSIONS: It's a charming Rogue... Nissan's small
crossover has character and functionality.

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